McKay: don't post on here when you're drinking or hungover. You display a startling lack of understanding of depression. I'm now going to delete your silly posts from this thread.

Now, let me sort out this story. Derek showed me the Triumph cutting display and swore up and down that it was his. He insisted that I put it in the book under his name, and that's what happened (I had no choice). The display had actually been shown to Derek by Darwin Ortiz, but Derek was drunk and did not remember that. All he remembered was that the move popped into his head and he genuinely thought he created it.

Darwin Ortiz learned it from Jose ("Pepe") Sousa, a good friend of ours who died last year. Pepe likely showed it to Ortiz one day up at Tannen's or at the Governor Cafeteria. I can't imagine that Pepe claimed the move as his own--he traveled a lot and likely saw Daryl do it. While Pepe was from Puerto Rico, he was not gambler. I can't remember what his day job was, but he was a talented amateur magician.

Thanks, for clearing up that story behind the Triumph display, Richard. It's interesting to me how these stories get started.

Question: in Daryl's first book, Stephen Minch wrote something about how Sam Schwartz was involved in spreading the rumor about a Puerto Rican gambler with regards to the display (Secrets, pg 5). Do you recall anything about this?

webbmaster wrote:Online after several days they changed it to 'accidental death' and I haven't figured out what that means or meant. I'm going to check on the web to see what they've said more recently there.

Oh boy, it’s been a month already, but I am still shocked about the demise of Daryl.

While his hair cut has arguably improved over the years, his magic with cards, coins, cups and ropes has always been impeccable, fresh, and engaging. I am a proud owner of his rare Ambitious Card Omnibus, of some great tricks and many of his excellent teaching videos.

Just like his famous red knot jumping onto a white rope, his creations and his style have woven themselves inseparably into magic’s path over the last three or four decades, and we must be greatful that he has shared his immense talent and his professional secrets with us.

Here is Daryl's Performance of The Jumping Knot of Pakistan." (Personally, I do not see how that title can be construed as politically incorrect, although I would not disagree with ZigZagger that avoiding the use of the title would be political OVERcorrectness). I have to admit, though, that I never really truly understood the meaning (if any) of the term, "politically correct." After all, there seems to be nothing objectively correct in the world of politics - only a variety of hotly disputed viewpoints - and a lot of hot air to go with them. Moreover, I am sure that reasonable and unreasonable minds alike, are liable to have vehement disagreement over what is and what is not "politically correct."

I saw Daryll perform in Vegas in front of laymen. It was quite pleasant to watch although I think he did far more performing for magicians. At least that is what he told me. Quite frankly I was ever overly keen on his ambitious card routine or the rop trick that he used to do. Far too long winded for my liking. I suppose that is an occupational hazard when you are performing more often for magicians than you are for laymen. You get the wrong reactions and it can lead you astray.

The trick was originally entitled and marketed as the "Jumping Knot of Pakistan." It is even currently advertised, marketed and sold by various dealers as such. See, e.g., Martin's Magic Collection website: http://www.martinsmagic.com/allmagic/ro ... -by-daryl/ which is advertising the trick/routine as "Jumping Knot of Pakistan by Daryl." As another example, Misdirections Magic Shop in San Francisco is selling it on their website http://shop.misdirections.com/Acrobatic ... n-9776.htm as follows: "Acrobatic Knot by Daryl (Jumping Knots of Pakistan)" So I guess it is known by both titles, although I remember about 10 years ago watching Daryl perform and he prefaced the trick solely as the "Jumping Knot of Pakistan."

So I suspect that the Political Correctness Police, in their overzealousness, are responsible for the modern, euphemistic version of the title. On the Penguin website, http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/4141 the trick is being sold with DVD, under the name, "Acrobatic Knot," but there is a note in the description that states: "Formerly known as the Jumping Knot of Pakistan. (Daryl's routine for Pavel's Fantastic Knot)."

So there you have it - perhaps far more information than many of our members might need or want....

I think it was a decent thing he did by changing the name. We no longer live in the age where something from another country is de facto 'other' and automatically qualifies as not of this world. The times have moved on. In some ways.

Three is no point in speculating why Daryl changed the titles of his tricks: he is not here to tell us, so let that be an end to that discussion.

I just received an email from Bill Ragsdale, president of the SAM assembly in California, which fills in some more of Daryl's magic-related bio from his early years:

To expand the detail of Dustin Stinett's memorial to Daryl, here are the 'missing years.' From age 15 to 17 Daryl learned and then expanded hismagic at the Jongleur's Assembly 80 in Hayward, CA. His signature first appeared in our registry on Nov. 17, 1971 and then through 1973. Other celebrated magicians that evening forty-six years ago included Byron Walker, Lloyd Jones and Cas Boxley. Daryl returned occasionally in the late 1970s. At a recent magic convention, he reminisced about his first exposure to ring and rope routines at SAM 80.

Member Price Burlingame recognized Daryl's motivation and faithfully escorted him to our meetings for three years. Mr. Stinett's article then picks up Daryl's career as he became a professional magician at age 18.